Material for surgical splints.



s. 0. SIMS.

MATERIAL FOB. SURGICAL SPLINTS.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 22, 1903 Patented 0013.19, 1909.

@noauto/a @Rhmann Anunzw. B. GRAHAM cm vuom-Lrmnmmls. WASMMGWN D c SAMUEL C. SIMS, OF STERLINGLIILINOIS.

MATERIAL FOR SURGICAL SPLINTS.

u. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1909.

Application filed October 22, 1903. Serial No. 178,137.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL C. SIMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sterling, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Material for Surgical Splints, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to surgical splints in which a cement material in a dry, unused state is incorporated in a brous and pliable material, and the primary object of the invention is the production of a quicksetting splint material of this character that can be conveniently handled in its commercial state and be ready for application to an injured part by moistening before applying, and which when set will form a tough porous body that will be more wholesome and agreeable to the injured part than the ordinary plaster splint. l

A further object of the invention is to provide a splint material that will not require the complete encircling of the injured part thereby or its building up after the manner of a bandage in applying, and which when set willpossess a yielding property and be capable of removal and replacement, thereby making provision for the swelling of the soft tissue in the neighborhood of the injured part and permitting access to the injured part at all times.

In the drawing, Figure l, shows a View in perspective of a portion of the splint material, the same illustrating the process of building-up of the material and showing the layers of the plaster of paris for lling the adjacent layers ofthe ber; and Fig. 2, shows asection taken on the line mof Fig. l.

In practicing the invention cotton batting is preferably employed on account of its light absorbent character, but it is obvious that other soft fibrous material compacted in like manner may be used. The cotton batting is separated or formed into thin sheets, the cotton being suiiiciently compressed to cause it to hold together in sheet form. These sheets are indicated in the drawing by the numeral 1, and a strip of the required thickness is built up of them. As the building up process is progressing plaster of paris is spread 0n the top of each sheet except the last, and in suiiicient quantity to form a light layer 2 in addition to causing some of Pthe plaster to sift into the sheet upon which it is applied. The layer of the plaster is designed to further fill the sheet `below it and also distribute itself partly into the sheet above it, so that ultimately the distribution of the plaster will be uniform throughout the fiber and the union of the severalsheets of cotton batting allowed to take place. To aid this distribution the sheets are subjected to vibration during the process of construction but the jarring incident to the commercial handling of the material will be sufficient to effect this distribution and .may be taken into consideration.

By the above-stated method of construction it is possible to incorporate within the cotton batting a quantity of plaster of paris which would not be possible by sifting the plaster into a strip of the batting of the thickness required for a splint owing to the tendency of the plaster to sift through the material and leave but a small part adhering within the same, while such as would be deposited within said material would be so loosely held as to be readily dislodged to such an extent in handling as to make it impracticable to use the material for the .purposes intended. I am aware that it is not new to incase within a fabric plaster of paris to produce a splint, but it will be understood that the present invention aims to thoroughly incorporate the plaster throughout the fibrous structure of cotton batting or an equivalent material, in a quantity not heretofore possible and in a manner to produce the uniform distribution of the plaster, and furthermore to cause the uniform blending or uniting of the layers of the cotton batting of which the completed strip is formed, thus substantially effacing the layer structure. The strip produced as herein set forth contains enough of the plaster as to permit its use without forming a bandage thereof, and is in convenient and ready form for handling and applying, it being only necessary to soak the strip in water, squeeze out the excess water, and apply to the injured part, holding the same thereon with a bandage.

As a new article of manufacture, a maa layer of said powder between the respec- Vitnesses;

terial for surgiztl splints, comprising a plu'- In testiinony whereof I have signed my ralit of thin lys of cotton bttihg, each haine to this Spec'iction in the presence of layer having thoroughly incoiprted two sillosoribing witnesses.

therein dry powder of plaster of pris d SAML C. SIMS.

tive layers of cotton batting, and for the F. J. BowMAN, purpose set forth. l

E. K. JENKINS. 

